Abstract: Hydraulic model studies of pumping pits will continue to be an important part of the design process. Even though many studies have been completed, design criteria are not available that insure trouble-free operation of the pump. The paper discusses the role of modeling in the design of pumping pits and suggests methods for making them more effective. Included is a description of the various hydraulic problems uncovered by past studies and successful solutions that have been developed. The article is not a technical state-of-the-art paper but does include several references to recent papers on the subject.